Think about Balenciaga today and you might recall the bold accessories that graced the brand's name, the futuristic footwear and the famous catwalks. Despite Balenciaga's fame, its founder Cristobal Balenciaga is little known.
It is known more for privacy, secrecy and the need for control in every aspect of the creation process.
Now some secrets of his secret life will be revealed in a series from Disney+.
From Spain, to Paris for 30 years, where he built his career. How did he hone his craft, overcome personal and professional challenges and create this legacy?
The curtain of his life will rise in this cinematographic production.
Born in 1895 in the small town of Getaria in the Basque region of northern Spain to a working-class family, Balenciaga learned his skills from his seamstress mother.
Some details of his story before you watch the documentary
A powerful woman in his town sent him to dressmaking school in Madrid. At the age of 22, Balenciaga opened his first boutique in the coastal city of San Sebastian, followed by those in Madrid and Barcelona.
The outbreak of the Spanish Civil War closed his shops in Spain, yet he moved to Paris with bold ambitions. There he managed to create his own fashion house and join the likes of Coco Chanel, Elsa Schiaparelli and others in the world of French haute couture.
The series charts the successes and challenges of Maison Balenciaga over a 30-year period, showing the intense rivalry between designers, the impact of the Nazi occupation of France and changing tastes in the haute couture market in the post-war years.
It also recounts the personal challenges Balenciaga faced, such as the death in 1947 of Wladzio Jaworowski d'Attainville, the brand's chief executive and Balenciaga's lover.